The Australian Cricket Board has stripped Shane Warne of his position as vice-captain of the national side following revelations that he bombarded an English nurse with lewd phone messages.

Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist was named as Warne's successor on Friday after beating off competition from Ricky Ponting for the post.

ACB chairman Denis Rogers, who informed Warne of the decision, said his off-field behaviour had cost him the job he had held since early last year.

"We have counselled him over the years and he's been very honest
with us but it's got to the point where we think it's time for a change," Rogers said.

I am disappointed but I'm going to take it on the chin and fight back and I'm going to try to make a positive out of this

Shane Warne

Although national selectors Allan Border, Trevor Hohns and Andrew Hilditch, as well as captain Steve Waugh all wanted Warne to be retained as vice-captain, they were overruled by the ACB.

In a statment, Waugh said: "Obviously I am very disappointed for Shane, as the vice-captaincy of the Australian team is a huge honour to have taken away."

"However, I am very satisfied with his replacement, Adam Gilchrist, who I am sure will do an excellent job."

Warne has made headlines off the field before

Warne's latest indiscretion, committed while the player was in England playing county cricket for Hampshire, proved to be the last straw for the ACB.

Warne, 30, who is married with two children, admitted last month that he had left a number of obscene messages on the mobile phone of a woman he met in a nightclub.

This followed another highly publicised incident for Warne in New Zealand last year when he tried to take a camera away from a young man who snapped him with a cigarette while he was being sponsored to give up smoking.

And in 1994, Warne, along with Mark Waugh, admitted taking money from an Indian bookmaker.

Shane and I are good friends. We're a very close group of players and get on well

Adam Gilchrist

Warne's response to the sacking was of obvious disappointment, but he said: "I am disappointed but I'm going to take it on the chin
and fight back and I'm going to try to make a positive out of
this."

Future captain

His replacement, Gilchrist, has been talked of as a future captain for some time, having impressed with his character and cricket.